Many child abuse cases – and the number of child abuse deaths – involve parents suing abusive disciplinary practices with their children. Here are some examples of abusive punishments:
Cases of Abusive Discipline
- In Hot Springs, Arkansas, a couple was accused of zip-tying their 4-year-old girl to furniture as a form of punishment. (USA Today, 8-18-2016, 4A)
- In Mitchel, South Dakota, a man accused of hitting his 17-year-old daughter with a piece of wood after the girl attempted to sneak out a bedroom window was sentenced to a year of probation, 40 hours of community service, and given a $400 fine. The man was also ordered to complete a parenting program. The girl suffered bruises and a cut on the hands from the abuse. (USA Today, 3-22-2012, pg. 8A)
Dog collar discipline
In Florida, a 28-year-old special forces soldier was arrested for allegedly punishing an 8-year-old girl by forcing her to perform extreme physical exercises. In one case, Michael Lee Mitchell made her run along side his vehicle for 3 miles, and in another instance, made her exercise until she vomited. The girl told Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Deputies Mitchell would put a dog collar on one of her arms, threatening to shock her if she stopped. He’s also accused of placing a coral around the waist of a different 4-year-old girl, shocking her for bad behavior. Mitchell reportedly told investigators that he made one of the girls perform “PT” and admitted that the punishment he inflicted on the girls was “extreme and over the edge.” ¹
Dryer Punishment
In Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Nicholas Fuchs, age 26, is accused of placing a 4-year-old girl in a dryer and turning it on as punishment for wetting her pants. He was charged with 6 felonies, including false imprisonment and strangulation. The girl reportedly told authorities that he put her in the dryer “a lot of times” and that “it was very dark and warm inside the dryer, and this made (her) scared.” (April 17, 2012)
References:
- Army Times, “Girls punished with dog collar Police say,” 2/6/2012 pg. 7